DENVER – With Steve Francis ailing with a sprained ankle, Jamal Crawford was expected to get the start last night at shooting guard to kick-start his woeful season.

Through four games, Crawford was bricking it at a 20.8 percent clip, prompting analyst Steve Kerr to say he’s shooting worse than Dick Cheney.

“I’m thinking too much instead of just playing,” Crawford said.

Crawford did not get a feel of the NBA’s new ball until the first day of training camp. “I don’t want to use that as an excuse,” he said.

However, Crawford, a streak shooter, admits it’s an adjustment. “it’s definitely different,” Crawford said. “It feels like a college ball to me. It definitely feels different, but it’s no excuse.”

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Thomas, reacting to Malik Rose’s remark the Knicks are “shaken” from the boos at home, said he realizes the Garden may not have a distinct homecourt advantage.

“That’s why they yell and they scream and they do all the things that they do to the opposing team – to rattle the opposing team,” Thomas said.

“That’s really the homecourt advantage. When you got people behind you and rooting you on and they’re really trying to get into the other team’s head, as opposed to getting into the home team’s head, that’s a good thing. To say that it doesn’t affect any of our guys at home, that would not be true.” A happier and healthier Kenyon Martin said it was “entertaining” to read about him getting traded from the Nuggets to the Knicks last May after his George Karl fallout.

“If you had asked me in May, yeah,” Martin said when asked if he thought he’d be dealt. “Just the way things ended, but it didn’t happen.” Martin seems much healthier, but the Knicks no longer can add significant payroll unless it’s a superstar player. The Nuggets had wanted Channing Frye in talks, and the Knicks refused.

The Knicks had offered Francis, but the Nuggets were fearful because he doesn’t get along with former Baltimore-area native, Carmelo Anthony.